Wet Soil to Minimize Structural Damage

If your doors or windows are sticking or you see cracks in the walls or ceiling, soil shrinkage may be causing your home to shift. This summer's dry conditions are causing clay and other fine-particle soils to shrink, which creates gaps around the basement wall. These gaps can allow air to dry the soil under your home's foundation, which may stress the concrete enough to cause cracking. One way to minimize this problem is to wet the soil around the foundation during extended dry periods if the soil is pulling away from the basement wall. (NDSU photo)